Press Releases

January 22 2018

Citizen Donald Turcotte invited to sign Rosemère’s Golden Book

January 22 2018

ROSEMÈRE, Monday,
January 22, 2018 – Mayor
Eric Westram and his colleagues on the Rosemère Municipal Council invited
citizen Donald Turcotte to sign the Town’s Golden Book, in the wake of the
mayor’s tribute to him at the public meeting held at the Town Hall.

At the time he retired in 2014 after 30 years of service, Donald Turcotte
was a sergeant and master instructor with the City of Montréal’s Police
Department (SPVM). For a police officer, taking part in a mission abroad is a
dream come true. This is a dream that Mr. Turcotte fulfilled three times during
the course of his career, taking part in Haitian missions, the most recent of
which took place from May to October 2017 when he’d been retired for three years.
His challenge, on this latest tour, was
to provide training within the context of resignations since, when he arrived
in the field, the instructors who were to provide him with support on this
project had left. As a result, he was on his own to train 35 Haitian instructors
and 200 police officers, a task that he effectively carried out with hard work
and determination.

His previous Haitian mission was carried out following the 2010
earthquake, an event that had a profound effect on him, on both a human and
emotional level. He will never forget the images of sadness and desolation that
greeted him daily. His challenge then was to keep his cool in order to see this
humanitarian mission through to the end. His first mission was carried out
while he was still with the SPVM.

Not everyone is chosen for an international peacekeeping mission. To
fulfil its commitment to the international community, the SPVM subjects the
officers who will represent it to a strict selection process. The selected
officers must then undergo training in preparation for their mission.

“Your unwavering courage and perseverance in helping a population in need
during your three international tours of duty in Haiti make you a model for our
community. The police officers who provide essential services on a daily basis
do not always receive the recognition they deserve, and humanitarian work like
yours helps forge closer ties with citizens. We are proud to have remarkable individuals
of your ilk in our community. In signing our Golden Book, you are honouring us
by becoming part of our collective history,” noted mayor Eric Westram.

The Golden
Book

The Town’s Golden Book records the visits of personalities to Rosemère as
well as the noteworthy commitment of residents who have distinguished
themselves in different sectors of activity. An official recognition by the
Town, the signatures it holds are part of our collective memory.